UPCA ready to pay Rs 1 cr for India-Eng ODI

Determined to host an India-England one-dayer next month, the UPCA said it is willing to shell out the Rs one crore rent for the Green Park Stadium.

Written by Press Trust of India

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Kanpur:

Determined to host an India-England one-dayer next month, the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) on Wednesday said it is willing to shell out the Rs one crore rent for the Green Park Stadium if the state government refuses to lower the charges.

"We are in talks with government sports officials and we are hopeful that we would soon reach an agreement on the rent and the government will lower it from the present Rs one crore. But even if it doesn't, we will hold the match as it is a prestige issue for us," UPCA Director Jyoti Bajpai said.

The match is scheduled for November 20. The UPCA had earlier paid just Rs nine lakh for hosting the India-South Africa Test in April and the revised rent has left the officials flummoxed.

Uttar Pradesh Ranji team coach Gyanendra Pandey says the hiked rental is an extra burden on the Association and if charges continue to shoot up at this rate, it would be extremely difficult to bring international cricket to the city.